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Large Snowfall

Large Snowfall

So far there has probably been 70 - 80 cm of snow here over the past week (28 - 32 inches). It's hard to measure because it has compacted a lot but there's more snow here now than I've ever seen. It's still snowing now but shows signs of warming up although the temperature has been pretty steady at or just below freezing. It's going to be an absolute mess around here when the rain falls on this.

The following thread was started by Eric (Nanoose) on December 24, 2008 at 2:49 am PST

Awesome pics Eric when you guys get snow you get snow I just cannot believe what you have experienced there.

Have you ever been hit with so much cold and snow in your lifetime.I think this 2008 weather that you are having now is going to go down in history as the one you all remember for a long long time.

I have been reading your forum for probably 4 years now and have always thought that you had an ideal climate for anything exotic.........I just hope most things spring back early next year. The snowy road picture is a classic.......crack on!!kev

The above followup was added by Kev Spence on December 24, 2008 at 4:18 am PST.

........... not the big one. That occurred just after Christmas in 1996, when south and central Vancouver Island got 120 -150 cm (4 to 5 feet) of show over three days. Check out this video and look at the guy digging out his car.

http://archives.cbc.ca/on_this_day/12/28/

I remember looking out one morning and I couldn't even see my car. The show was to the roof line and had drifted over it so that all I could see was a small mound above the surface of the snow where the car should have been.

The above followup was added by leapfrog - victoria on December 24, 2008 at 9:22 am PST.

For snow, nothing will (hopefully) ever equal that post-Christmas dump.

By some fluke, our family was staying with friends in Colwood for a few days, and had the experience of our lives. "Only" 3 feet fell back home in Surrey, but we measured 6 feet in Colwood by the time it was all over. My little boys had the time of their lives, still remember seeing my oldest do a face plant in the snow...falling face first off the eaves of their house into the immense snowy cushion not far below. Parked vehicles were located by the slight bumps created in the snow banks, etc. etc.

Interesting to see what nature can dish out occasionally, when various random factors happen to align to make the "whatever of the century"...

The above followup was added by Glen in Surrey on December 24, 2008 at 9:34 am PST.

Here's a news video of the current weather conditions across the country, Kev. For the first time there is snow on the ground everywhere in the country. This video clip focuses on the impact on holiday travelers across Canada and starts in Vancouver:

We have had large snowfalls before but it's never officially measured, the closest you can get is Nanaimo airport, but north Nanaimo always receives way more snow than the airport. I was driving to the interior during the 96 snow storm, we almost got stuck in a blizzard in Abbotsford; got out just before the road closure. We can get large regional snowfalls like 96 but we can also get large local snowfalls where totals can vary dramatically over 100 km or so sometimes less due the the unique geography of the region. Much of the stuff we got here was due to a localized event. Being on the east facing of the island when cold winds blowing from the interior meet a slow moving departing low pressure system we'll get a combination of upslope snows and snowsqualls off the ocean. For this reason we usually get heavier totals than other areas at the start of an arctic blast and lighter totals at the end of the blast.

The unique thing about this event was probably the duration and timing. Snow around Christmas is always a big thing around here because usually the timing doesn't sync up. We've now had snow on the ground since Dec 14th with over 20 cm since the 15th and over 40 cm since the 17th. Areas near the ocean usually have lesser totals but coast exposure had little influence this time. I've lived here for about 20 years now and I can't remember an event that saw more snow for this long although 96 may have had more snow and I bet if you go further back you could find some much larger snowfalls for this area over the past 100 years. A lot of people forget or like to forget this, but average annual snowfalls for the coastal cities here range from 20 - 50 cm/year and most of that comes all at once in one or two blasts.

haha... our roads are always among the last to be plowed. This time there was so much snow that a car was completely covered on the side of the road. The plow operator must have thought it was a snow mound because he nailed the side of the car taking the snow away and left a large gash with a broken mirror and panels.

The above followup was added by Eric (Nanoose) on December 24, 2008 at 11:34 am PST.

A month or so ago I responded to your comments on the Groing on the Edge message board where you said that you had only got up to 1C in your UK home. I said that it wasn't that bad compared to our experience in recent years past in the PNW. I hoped I didn't sound like I was belittling your complaints. I imagine the latest weather bomb here has, in fact, made your experience look somewhat less serious :-)

It would be a shame if you ever get a spell of weather like we are having in your fabulous garden. I hope you never do.

The above followup was added by Jeff, Victoria, BC on December 24, 2008 at 1:48 pm PST.

No worries Jeff I can certainly see what you guys have to put up with now and luckily we have not had it that bad since I started this exotic venture but I have recorded -8.9 C / 16 F here before and can forward loads of snowy pics that is before I had palm trees and the like.I am just hoping the big one does not bite any time soon an east wind from Siberia would be our worst scenario. We do have -2 C / 28 F forecast for nearly every day next week though.......bl##dy cold.lol

Sorry Eric just going off your pics for a moment there.

The above followup was added by Kev Spence on December 24, 2008 at 2:11 pm PST.

This may not have been a record, but it certainly will be memorable in that I can't remember this much snow before Christmas happening since I moved here. I have heard that Nanaimo set a record for the most snow on the ground for the given date (60cm) which certainly would make this a record here. In many places outside Vancouver/Victoria the records only go back about 50 years or less so the true extremes in some areas may not have been accurately determined yet. Our lows bottomed around -10 C which is colder than it's been in a long time.

Roger,

I love taking snow photos in that mid morning lighting; the reflections from the sky to the water and snow give incredible blues around here. Hope your plants don't suffer too much damage through this, the B. eriospatha are a little worrying but the snow may have insulated the spear from the worst of it; if those come out of this alive at that size we'll have a new mid/long term palm to work with. I'd bet your Jubaea will make it through with minimal damage.

Have a great Christmas everyone!

The above followup was added by Eric (Nanoose) on December 24, 2008 at 3:26 pm PST.

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